Solutions to win: 12-year-old girl raises over $50,000 for Ukraine's armed forces through handmade patriotic jewelry
12 y.o. Diana Nasibova from Nizhyn. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
In the Chernihiv region, 12-year-old Diana Nasibova from Nizhyn spends her days studying and participating in clubs. In the evenings, she creates patriotic bracelets and keychains with beads to raise funds for Ukraine's armed forces. The girl has raised over two million hryvnias in just two years to support our troops.
Suspilne reports that.
What is the solution?
Every weekend, the girl goes to the local market and sells her products to raise money for the military. She also helps place homeless animals in new families.
The girl at work. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
Diana Nasibova has her own set of chevrons, which were bestowed upon her by the military. She claims to have assisted animals in her youth, but amid a large-scale invasion, she broadened her scope of volunteer work and began fundraising for the armed forces.
"At the beginning of the war, we stayed in Nizhyn for a week, and then my father took us to the Lviv region, to the city of Mostyska. When we returned a month later, I went out with the animals, but I realized that I could help not only animals but also the military," says Diana.
Diana Nasibova's chevron collection. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
How does it work?
To wrap up the fundraisers for the defenders, Diana handcrafts a selection of beadwork and sells them at the market.
Diana's uncle is currently serving at the front. The girl explains that this motivates her to support the military. She donates the money she has collected to the local church, which distributes it to those in need among the defenders. He shares regular updates on social media.
Diana Nasibova raises money for Ukraine's armed forces. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
"We have the All Saints Church, and Father Serhiy is a military chaplain who has been going to the front every Sunday since 2014. We started buying thermal imaging cameras with him," Diana Nasibova says.
During her two years of volunteering, Diana collected more than two million hryvnias for the military's needs. The girl says she won't stop until Ukraine wins.
Diana sells bracelets and collects money for the Armed Forces. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
Diana never stops assisting homeless animals, finding them new homes, and fostering connections with their new owners to continue supporting them occasionally.
The girl also has three dogs at home.
A girl in a shelter for animals. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
"A shelter was recently opened in Nizhyn. I go there to volunteer and walk the dogs. Every weekend, we visit the market. The animals stay in cages while people pass by. If someone decides to adopt a pet, they can take it home," the girl says.
In 2022, Diana became one of the winners of the first All-Ukrainian Animal Protection Award.
Diana Nasibova during the award ceremony. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
The girl's parents are incredibly proud of her and provide unwavering support in her pursuits. Svitlana, the girl's mother, along with her daughter, sells patriotic items and facilitates fundraisers for both animals and the military.
"I realized that she needed something to distract her from the situation. I want to tell you that she was terrified of these alarms and sirens before, but when she was standing in the marketplace, she wasn't scared of anything. The plane flew by, and she wasn't afraid. All that mattered was raising funds for the military and finding a place for the animals," the girl's mother says.
Svitlana Nasibova is the girl's mother. Photo: Chernihiv Suspilne
For reference:
It should be noted that the "Banderivtsi" children's battalion collected 1 million hryvnias [approximately 25,000 USD – ed.] for Ukraine's armed forces.
Rubryka reported that a blind schoolgirl from the Lviv region collected ₴2 million [over 50,000 USD – ed.] for the Ukrainian army by singing in churches and on the street. The girl started volunteering at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation when her older brother went to defend Ukraine.
It was also reported that Sviatoslav, a 10-year-old volunteer from Vinnytsia, purchased an FPV drone for the Ukrainian military with the proceeds from the sale of self-harvested flower and vegetable seeds.
